The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Yolisettexe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fort Myers, Fla. and Salinas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, small inflorescences with desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventor in May, 1997, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-6767, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-5245, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in July, 1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Yolisette has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Yolisettexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Yolisettexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Uniform, outwardly spreading and compact plant habit.
2. Strong and very freely branching growth habit.
3. Small dark green glossy foliage.
4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.
5. Typically grown as a spray-type.
6. Early flowering, seven-week response time.
7. Small daisy-type inflorescences that are about 2.75 cm in diameter.
8. Bright yellow-colored ray florets and darker yellow-colored disc florets.
9. Good postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for more than four weeks in an interior environment.
Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have a more uniform plant habit, flower about one week earlier, and have brighter yellow-colored ray florets.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in ray floret coloration as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have yellow ray florets whereas plants of the male parent selection have light pink ray florets. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about one week earlier than plants of the male parent selection.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,713. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie in the following charactertistics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were darker green in color and had better longevity than leaves of plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie.
3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were brighter yellow in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie.
4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had better postproduction longevity than plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum also can be compared to plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,610. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal in the following characteristics:
1. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were brighter yellow in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal.
2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were flatter and had more rounded apices than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had better postproduction longevity than plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal.